The winners were announced and the winning tables revealed yesterday evening at an Awards Function at Villa Maria Estate, New Zealand’s most awarded winery. Launched by Laminex New Zealand, this year’s competition challenged New Zealand’s professional and emerging architects and designers to design a sculptural piece of furniture.

For its sophomore season Formica Formations was literally "turning the tables" on Formica and asked entrants to reinvent the humble Formica table as part of its 100 year anniversary celebrations. Laminex New Zealand General Manager, Richard Pollington, said he was delighted with the quality of entries received.

A top judging panel comprising leading New Zealand Designer David Trubridge, Formica Group Vice President of Design Renée Hytry Derrington and award-winning New Zealand architect Ron Sang judged the entries.  Auckland designer Hugh Worth was awarded first place in the professional category of the competition, while top spot in the emerging designer section went to recently retrained Wellington designer Frances Fraser.

"The entries we received this year were of an exceptionally high calibre and I would like to thank the judges for making a very difficult decision," Richard Pollington, General Manager of Laminex New Zealand comments. "I love that Formica continues to be inspired by, and in turn inspires outstanding design.  I would like to congratulate the winners for doing justice to the iconic Formica laminate in our 100th anniversary year — it just goes to show that New Zealand really does have talent!"

Professional Category

Worth, an interior designer from Auckland with over 17 years experience in both New Zealand and the UK, created the "Red Herringbone" — a striking and colourful table comprising angular pieces of Formica AR+ gloss laminate.

He describes the table as a "multipurpose statement furniture piece". "The vivid colours and herringbone patterning will enliven the dreariest of dinner parties. Fussy children will be so enthralled they won't even realise they've just eaten all their greens."

He drew inspiration from his own family, some of whom he noted were having difficulty finishing their veggies whilst he was conceptualising his design. His use of colour was applauded by the judges, especially red, the corporate colour of Formica.

Emerging Category

A brand marketer who recently completed studies in Spatial Design at Massey University, Fraser runs her own interior design business, Honour Creative, in Wellington’s Newtown.  Her piece, named "Time Table", was inspired by the rings of a tree representing the incremental growth and strength in trust and understanding that builds up over time through shared meal time experiences with family and friends.

"I wanted my table to be about time because that is what we invest when we gather together to share a meal and conversation.  Also, the concept of time has an overlap with the durability and enduring appeal of Formica, as well as with their 100-year anniversary."

Judge Renee Hytry Derrington found it refreshing to see such sophisticated wit. "The table form covered in a woodgrain laminate is complex in fabrication, yet simple in styling to match a tree trunk.  An unexpected solution that plays on wood, which is the historic legacy of Formica brand laminates."

The tables were fabricated by Laminex New Zealand customers Eurodesign Benchtops of Auckland (Red Herringbone) and Bench Top Shop of Rotorua (Time Table).

Laminex New Zealand is delighted to announce that the next instalment of the biennial Formica Formations Design Competition 2015 will be "Luminate" — a challenge to designers to re-imagine how we interpret lighting hardware, fixtures and applications for the New Zealand and global stage — using Formica Laminate.  What does the now and the tomorrow look like when Formica lights the way?  All will be revealed at Formica Formations 2015.

Runners up in the Professional category were:

• 2nd Place - Gus Watt, Wellington – From PORTable to DELECtable
• 3rd Place - Rachel Venables, Auckland – C15 Table

Runners up in the Emerging category were:

• 2nd Place - James Dowie, Auckland – Table of Content
• 3rd Place - Kyla Davies, Christchurch – Turned Table